Sacred Economics vs. Scarcity Economics

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The aggressive competitive nature of the United States economy has caused poverty for many, while creating hostile crime-driven environments that result in an increased gap between the rich and the poor. The current state of the U. S. economy has caused an outcry of criticisms and alternatives. U. S. citizens jointly agree that the economic system in the U. S. has failed the mass majority of its citizens (Bruner, 2012). Economists agree inequality has grown immensely, but differ sharply over government action (Bruner, 2011). The hardest challenge faced when trying to reform economic structure drastically is that almost everyone has vested interests in the current economy. Most Americans’ outlook on the future has become quite dim in the recent years; people feel isolated and alone, deprived of community and the vital resources necessary to live a fulfilling life (Fleischauer, 2006). The future of the U. S. economy may seem bleak; however, the purpose of this paper is to propose a lighter future. A future filled with an overwhelming sense of individual importance, community support, and sustainable living. This future is achieved through implementing aspects of gift economics into society. Doing what one loves and sharing the result of that labor of love with one’s neighbor is the foundation of which a gift economy is built upon. Implementing a gift economy would be a way to unite and strengthen communities, along with establishing “social mechanisms” of accountability and responsibility.

Community
In today’s world if an individual is entirely financially independent, there is no need for that individual to know their neighbors. That person can go day to day requiring any goods or services they please via mo...

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...on. Investipodeia. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/
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Leahy, T. (2013). The perils of consumption and the gift economy. Retrieved from http://www.freebay.net/site/content/view/1243/33/
Miller, D. (2012). Consumption and its consequences. Cambridge: Polity Press.
Nelson, A., & Tinnerman, F. (2011). Contact and converge. In A. Nelson & F. Tinnerman (Eds.), Life without money: Building fair and sustainable economies. (p.213-234). London: Pluto Press
Pomme van Hoof’s Video Blog #3 (2005) [Video file]. Retreived from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4lzwR4e8Vg
Richter, W. (2010). Combatting corruption, encouraging ethics: A practical guide to management ethics. (pp.110-225) (2nd ed.). Lanham, Maryland: Rowman and Littlefield Press.

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